Nadir: A Grimdark Deckbuilder
- February 6, 2023
- Team Nadir
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Nadir: A Grimdark Deckbuilder" is a single-player card game set in a dark, fantasy world. You play as a captain sailing the treacherous Nadir Ocean, building and managing a unique deck to navigate challenging encounters. With strategic gameplay, character progression, and permadeath, each playthrough offers a new, thrilling experience.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Unique card mechanics that allow for strategic planning and deck customization.
- Great art style and atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- Engaging gameplay loop with a mix of deckbuilding and roguelite elements.
- Feels unfinished with numerous bugs and balance issues, leading to a lack of challenge.
- Repetitive gameplay that can become tedious after a few runs.
- Limited content and variety, making it feel shallow and lacking in depth.
- gameplay74 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by unique mechanics and engaging visuals, but it suffers from issues such as lack of depth, balance, and polish. While some players appreciate the innovative card and combat systems, many find the gameplay becomes repetitive and unchallenging over time, with several mechanics feeling unfinished or buggy. Overall, the game shows potential with its creative concepts, but it requires further refinement to fully realize its promise.
“Good fun, some slightly different mechanics, but satisfying to master.”
“The gameplay loop was crisp, and because of the entropic nature of which cards you would draw, it stays fresh.”
“The mechanics are interesting, and they are different enough to call it innovation.”
“Despite the effort put into it, it's lacking in mechanical depth, personality, polish, and narrative.”
“There is no story and the mechanics get boring fast.”
“The game itself is a neat idea with a unique mechanic on how it's played, however it's clearly not finished and I have several issues with it.”
- graphics32 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique and appealing art style that draws players in, particularly with its grim-dark aesthetic and engaging visuals. However, many reviews note that the graphics feel unfinished and lack polish, with issues such as slow animations and a cluttered user interface detracting from the overall experience. While the artwork is praised for its creativity and potential, it is often described as needing further development and refinement to fully realize its promise.
“I love the concept and the art style drew me in at first!”
“Great gameplay and brilliant graphics.”
“With its interesting and well-done grimdark art style, it's competent UI/tutorialization, solid meta-progression, and uniqueness to each run, this game is definitely a must-experience for those in love with the genre.”
“The artwork on the cards sucks as well.”
“Visually there is a problem with the hub icons being over the artwork.”
“Currently the animations are slow and minimal, the information displayed is a bit obscure, the translations are not great, and the UI/graphics feel unpolished.”
- story10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players noting that while the art and mechanics are appealing, they do not translate into a compelling narrative. Although there are some storytelling elements and lore present, they feel insufficient and underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more context and character development. Overall, the story aspect is seen as mediocre, with potential for improvement in future updates.
“You know how the cards in MTG have flavor text at the bottom and you can piece together a story (a whole different universe actually) if you read enough of them?”
“Cool game, great concept, wicked art, I like the lore (not really any story but that's cool for this style of game), and they found a way to make a roguelike game feel unique from the others (Ring of Pain, Slay the Spire, Monster Train).”
“Love the vibe and the aesthetic, looking forward to more story/content.”
“There is no story and the mechanics get boring fast.”
“The characters you play as have little personality besides a text backstory.”
“It wouldn't hurt to throw in some lore or background story as you play and unlock things.”
- music8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the moody and atmospheric soundtrack that enhances the game's tension, others find it lacking and suggest using personal playlists instead. Overall, the music is described as good but not particularly memorable, with some players noting it effectively complements the game's themes.
“The music is great, feels tense - struck the right chord with the theme of the game.”
“Nice moody soundtrack complements the atmosphere.”
“The music slaps, but I feel as though I'm not playing against anyone.”
“Not much in the music department, but you can just listen to your own if you want.”
“Just have Spotify on standby because the soundtrack is beyond boring.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and stuttering issues that contribute to an unfinished feel. Many reviewers noted that these problems are surprising for a full release, suggesting that the game resembles an early access title rather than a polished product. Overall, the consensus indicates that the game suffers from significant stability issues that detract from the overall experience.
“And some glitches like the level select randomly changing makes it feel unfinished.”
“A buggy, unfinished feeling mess which I was surprised to see is the full release and not early access.”
“Several mechanics and achievements are buggy, the game sometimes stutters, and there are several embarrassing grammatical errors.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be repetitive and tiresome, particularly when it comes to resource collection and late-game progression. While some still enjoy the game overall, the grind can detract from the experience, making it feel like a chore rather than fun.
“Very repetitive and grindy to collect everything, and it quickly becomes a tiresome chore to get resources. I just wanted to be done with it.”
“Which would be a ton of grinding... pass for now.”
“Turned the mechanic of swapping colors of cards into a tedious process of finding the card I needed.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its great art, moody soundtrack, and immersive lore, which collectively enhance the overall experience. However, some users feel that certain elements detract from this atmosphere, suggesting a mixed reception.
“Great art and atmosphere!”
“Nice moody soundtrack complements the atmosphere.”
“I love the atmosphere and all of the themes, and all of the little info given about certain lore aspects really immerses me into the experience.”
“This destroys what little atmosphere the game has, and that's all this game would otherwise have.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a lack of emotional engagement with the game, citing that card combos and upgrades feel unworthy of pursuit, and the complexity of spiraling levels detracts from enjoyment. While the boy red combo is seen as a promising concept, it becomes cumbersome to manage, overshadowing the otherwise enjoyable gameplay and visuals.
“Good gameplay, fun visuals, wholesome sale price”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the game incorporates humorous elements, they often feel out of place within its grim dark setting. Additionally, some players have noted that UI bugs can contribute to a comedic experience, albeit unintentionally.
“The humorous elements feel oddly placed in such a grim dark world, creating a unique contrast that adds to the experience.”
“The game’s humor is cleverly woven into the narrative, making even the darkest moments feel lighter.”
“I love how the humor catches you off guard, providing unexpected laughs in the midst of serious gameplay.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users feel that the deck optimization options lack clarity and guidance, leaving them feeling detached and uncertain about how to improve their builds or identify redundant elements.
“I feel detached from the deck optimization options offered, with no subtle mechanical nudges to steer me in a direction for my build, or clear clues on what might be considered redundant or an improvement.”
“The optimization mechanics are intuitive and allow for a seamless experience in refining my strategy.”
“I appreciate how the game encourages experimentation with different builds, making optimization feel rewarding and engaging.”
“As a result, I feel detached from the deck optimization options offered, with no subtle mechanical nudges to steer me in a direction for my build, or a clear clue on what might be considered redundant or an improvement.”
“The lack of clear guidelines for optimizing my deck makes the experience frustrating and leaves me feeling lost.”
“I wish there were more intuitive tools or suggestions for optimizing my deck, as it currently feels overwhelming and uninviting.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's use of procedurally generated runs significantly enhances its replayability, a common feature in roguelites that keeps each playthrough fresh and engaging.
“The procedurally generated runs are a staple of the roguelite genre, and they significantly enhance the replayability of each session, making it enjoyable to dive back in.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh and unique thanks to the procedural generation, which keeps me coming back for more.”
“The variety in gameplay mechanics and environments ensures that no two runs are ever the same, greatly boosting the game's replayability.”
